Important Extracts from: The Merchant of Venice: Reference to the Context

Important Extracts from: The Merchant of Venice

Act I Scene (i)

1.“ In sooth, I know not why I am so sad;
It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;(5)
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.”

Reference to the Context: These lines have been taken form William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Act I Scene (i). These are the very opening lines of the scene. Antonio is sad and his friends Salarino and Solanio are asking him the cause of his sadness. But he is unable to find out the reason.

Explanation: Antonio tells his friends that in reality he is unable to find out the reason of his sadness. HE is also worried to know the reason for his sadness. He does not know wherefrom that sadness entered his mind. What is its reason? What type of sadness is this? He says that he is unable to recognize it. These lines show Antonio’s melancholy nature.

2. ‘My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,
Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate
Upon the fortune of this present year:(45)
Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.’

Reference to the Context: These lines have been taken form William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Act I Scene (i). As we know Antonio is sad. He is unable to find out the reason of his sadness. His friend Salarino says that he might be sad because his all ships are in the sea. They are at risks of so many types. But Antonio refuses to be sad because of that reason.

Explanation: Antonio tells Salarino that he does not send all of his ships at one point in the sea. He sends them in different directions. He thanks fortune for that. Thus he does not agree to the reason given by Salarino. These lines show Antonio’s melancholy nature.

3. Let me play the fool!
With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come;
And let my liver rather heat with wine,(85)
Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.
Why should a man whose blood is warm within
Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster?
Sleep when he wakes and creep into the jaundice
By being peevish?

Reference to the Context: These lines have been taken form William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Act I Scene (i). In this scene, Gratiano tells Antonio that he is sad and a changed person on that day. At this Antonio tells him that God has given different roles to everyman to play in his life. So he has also been given a different role to play. His role is to play a sad role in his life. After that Gratiano speaks the above quoted lines.

Explanation: Gratiano replies Antonio that he would not like to play sad role in life. He would like to play the role of a ‘fool’ or a joker. He tries to tell Antonio that it is not good to be sad in life. He suggests to him to laugh with joy. Let wrinkles appear on his face while laughing without any topic. He would also like to drink alcohol to make his liver heat up rather than make his young heart cool down with groans of sadness. He does not find any logic in sitting sad and somber like his grandparents when his blood is warm. He should not behave like old people, who seem to be sleeping while they are awake. Their faces look like those of the patients of jaundice.

5. There are a sort of men, whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond;
And do a wilful stillness entertain,
With purpose to be dress'd in an opinion(95)
Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit;
As who should say, I am Sir Oracle,
And, when I ope my lips, let no dog bark!

Reference to the Context: These lines have been taken form William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Act I Scene (i). In this scene, Gratiano tells Antonio that he is sad and a changed person on that day. At this Antonio tells him that God has given different roles to everyman to play in his life. So he has also been given a different role to play. His role is to play a sad role in his life. After that Gratiano speaks the above quoted lines.

Explanation: Here Gratiano generalises his ideas about the people who look serious. He says that there are some people in the world whose faces do not match the ideas they have got in their minds. William Shakespeare compares their faces to the surface of the ponds which are covered with some cream-like material. It shows that they observe silence to hide their inner hollowness. They want to show that they are full of wisdom, seriousness and depth. But in reality, they are not so. They think themselves ‘Sir Oracle’. They do not allow others to speak when they start speaking. The word oracle is associated with the people who predict the future.

6.I'll tell thee more of this another time:

But fish not with this melancholy bait,(105)
For this fool-gudgeon, this opinion.

Word-meaning: Gudgeon: it is a small freshwater fish, used as a bait by anglers
Reference to the Context:  Same as above in extract 5.

Explanation: Gratiano advises Antonio not to waste his time and spoil his health by keeping himself in sad mood. He uses an imagery here. He imagines that Antonio is fishing at the bank of a river. He has not used any useful bait for fishing. His bait is only melancholy nature. It means he is just wasting his time. He would get nothing but sadness and disappointment.